SOUTH AFRICAN INDEX
THE PEOPLE SHAPING SOUTH AFRICA
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Browse published biographies by name, field and status.

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45 published profiles
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Science · Historical

Chabani Manganyi

Psychologist, author and higher-education leader

South African psychologist, author and higher-education leader whose work examined Black identity, violence and the psychological effects of apartheid.

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Arts · Living

D.B.Z. Ntuli

Author, translator and academic

South African isiZulu author, translator and emeritus professor of African languages.

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Portrait of Desmond Tutu in Washington, DC, in 1999Photo: John Mathew Smith · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source
Public life · Historical

Desmond Tutu

Anglican bishop and peace advocate

South African Anglican archbishop, 1984 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

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Portrait of Edwin CameronPhoto: Braxton University · CC BY 3.0 · Source
Public life · Living

Edwin Cameron

Jurist and former Constitutional Court justice

South African jurist and former Constitutional Court justice whose public work has included human-rights and HIV advocacy.

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Business · Living

GT Ferreira

Banker and entrepreneur

South African banker and entrepreneur who co-founded the business that became Rand Merchant Bank and later chaired FirstRand.

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Hugh Masekela performing in 2013Photo: Michael Borkson · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source
Arts · Historical

Hugh Masekela

Musician, composer and singer

South African trumpeter, flugelhornist, composer and singer whose career joined music with anti-apartheid cultural activism.

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Portrait of John Kani in JohannesburgPhoto: Bobbyshabangu · CC0 1.0 · Source
Arts · Living

John Kani

Actor and playwright

South African actor and playwright associated with Sizwe Banzi Is Dead, The Island and the Market Theatre.

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Science · Living

Karen Sliwa-Hahnle

Cardiologist and professor

South African-based cardiologist and director of the University of Cape Town’s Cape Heart Institute.

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Science · Living

Kubedi Mokhobo

Cardiologist and physician

South African cardiologist and medical pioneer whose career included clinical, academic and public-health leadership in southern Africa.

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Business · Living

Laurie Chiappini

Retail founder

South African retailer who co-founded Mr Price with Stewart Cohen and opened the first Mr Price Factory Shop in 1985.

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Business · Living

Laurie Dippenaar

Banker and entrepreneur

South African banker and entrepreneur who co-founded the business that became Rand Merchant Bank and later helped create FirstRand.

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Business · Living

Michiel le Roux

Banker and company founder

South African banker who served as Capitec Bank’s founding chief executive and later as chairman.

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Patrice Motsepe speaking at the World Economic Forum in 2009Photo: Monika Flueckiger / World Economic Forum · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source
Business · Living

Patrice Motsepe

Business founder and football administrator

South African business founder and president of the Confederation of African Football.

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Sport · Living

Rassie Erasmus

Rugby coach and former player

South African rugby coach and former Springbok player who led the national team to the 2019 Rugby World Cup title.

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Business · Living

Stewart Cohen

Retail founder

South African retailer who co-founded Mr Price with Laurie Chiappini and opened the first Mr Price Factory Shop in 1985.

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Trevor Noah at Web Summit Qatar in 2024Photo: Stephen McCarthy / Web Summit Qatar via Sportsfile · CC BY 2.0 · Source
Arts · Living

Trevor Noah

Comedian, broadcaster and author

South African comedian, author and former host of The Daily Show.

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Science · Living

Tulio de Oliveira

Bioinformatician and professor

Bioinformatician and epidemic-response researcher who directs Stellenbosch University’s Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation.

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Portrait of Vukosi Marivate at Wikimania 2025.Photo: Matti Blume · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Source
Technology · Living

Vukosi Marivate

Computer scientist and professor

South African computer scientist whose research focuses on data science, machine learning and natural-language processing for African contexts.

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Business · Living

Willem Roos

Insurance founder and executive

South African actuary and entrepreneur who co-founded OUTsurance, launched in February 1998.

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